The Executive Branch

Today’s Essential Question:

Why do you think the presidency is called a Glorious Burden??

Who assists the President? When George Washington was President, people recognized that one person could not carry out the duties of the President without advice and assistance.

The President receives help from the: Vice President Cabinet Members Heads of Independent and Executive Agencies. Unlike the powers of the President, their responsibilities are not defined in the Constitution.

The Executive Branch

The Presidency. A Glorious Burden. November 2008. Election Night. December, 2014

Not Just President Obama…

I need to have all these Qualifications!!!!

The Vice President You have a distinct old man smell, get away from me…… As soon as these cameras are gone so am I….

Presidential Succession Eight U.S. presidents have died while in office. One president resigned. In each case, the vice president took the oath of office and became president as provided by the Constitution.

William H. Harrison, Natural Causes John Tyler, Vice President

Zachary Taylor, Natural Causes Millard Fillmore, Vice President

Abraham Lincoln, Assassinated Andrew Johnson, Vice President

James A. Garfield, Assassinated Chester Author, Vice President

William McKinley, Assassinated Theodore Roosevelt, Vice President

Warren Harding, Natural Causes Calvin Coolidge, Vice President

Franklin D. Roosevelt, Natural Causes Harry Truman, Vice President

John F. Kennedy Assassinated Lyndon Johnson, Vice President

Richard M. Nixon, Resigned Gerald R. Ford, Vice President

Twenty-fifth Amendment adopted in 1967 new president nominates a new vice president Nomination must then be approved by a majority vote of both houses of Congress.

The Order of Presidential Succession The Vice President The Speaker of the House The President pro tempore of the Senate Members of the president’s cabinet in the order in which their departments were created

Line of Succession The Vice President Speaker of the House President pro tempore of the Senate Secretary of State Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of Defense Attorney General Secretary of the Interior Secretary of Agriculture Secretary of Commerce Secretary of Labor Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Secretary of Transportation Secretary of Energy Secretary of Education Secretary of Veterans Affairs Secretary of Homeland Security

Powers and Duties of the President

7 Major Roles of the President 1.) Chief Executive 2.) Chief Diplomat 3.) Commander in Chief 4.) Political Party Leader 5.) Legislative Leader 6.) Judicial Leader 7.) Chief of State

7 Major Roles of the President 1.) Chief Executive Carries out the nation’s laws Issues Executive Orders (rule or command the President issues that has the force of law; usually during time of crisis) Appoints cabinet members, ambassadors, judges, heads of govt. agencies

7 Major Roles of the President 2.) Chief Diplomat Responsible for making treaties with other countries with Senate approval Meets with foreign leaders Can make Executive Agreements with leaders of other countries Has the force of law but does not require Senate approval Responsible for appointing ambassadors with Senate approval An official representative of a country’s government

7 Major Roles of the President 3.) Commander in Chief President is final authority over all military matters Founding Fathers believed in civilian control over the military; person elected by the people has final say over all military matters

The Executive Branch The Presidency 3.) Commander in Chief, cont.. Stretching of this power by former Presidents has led to legislation limiting the President’s power over the military President Truman sent troops to fight in Korean War, but we never declared War (1950-53) Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon sent troops to Vietnam, but we never declared war (1954-75)

7 Major Roles of the President 3.) Commander in Chief, cont…. 1973: War Powers Act passed by Congress President must notify Congress when troops sent anywhere Troops must be brought home after 60 days unless Congress declares war, or gives approval for troops to stay This law has never been challenged in the Supreme Court and some question whether or not the law in Constitutional.

7 Major Roles of the President 4.) Political Party Leader Supports party members in election campaigns and helps unify the party Appoints members of party to key govt. jobs President Bush confers w/ Republican members of Congress

7 Major Roles of the President 5.) Legislative Leader Proposes legislation and uses many tactics to get the bill passed Prepares the federal budget Approves or vetoes legislation

7 Major Roles of the President 6.) Judicial Leader Appoints judges to Federal Courts and the U.S. Supreme Court Appoints Justices whose point of view is similar to their own President Obama announces Mrs. Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee to the Supreme Court

7 Major Roles of the President 6.) Judicial Leader, cont… Can issue pardons, reprieves and amnesty to those convicted of federal crimes: Pardon – declaration of forgiveness and freedom from punishment Reprieve – an order to delay a person’s punishment until a higher court can rule on the case (usually death sentence Commutation – substitutes a less severe punishment for the one originally imposed by the court Amnesty – same as a pardon; applies to a group of people rather than an individual

7 Major Roles of the President 456 total pardons. Over 100 on the day before he left office President Carter gave amnesty to all Vietnam draft dodgers who fled to Canada

7 Major Roles of the President 7.) Chief of State Role is symbolic – President is representing people from all 50 states Gives a human face to American govt. Can be demonstrated in many ways

Greeting heroes

Throwing first pitches at baseball games

Inviting musicians to perform at White House

Attending funeral of another country’s leader, or past Presidents of U Attending funeral of another country’s leader, or past Presidents of U.S.

Speeches and ceremonies

Checks and Balances

Executive Branch checks on the Legislative Branch Vetoes laws Calls Congress into special session

Executive Branch checks on the Judicial Branch Appoints federal judges John Roberts at his nomination for the Supreme Court with President George Bush.

Legislative Branch Checks Powers OVER the President Senate approves treaties and presidential appointments *The House of Representatives appropriates money *Congress can override veto Congress can impeach and convict the President and Vice President

Judicial Branch Checks Powers over the President The Supreme Court can rule Executive Acts unconstitutional Hey What Do You Expect..we only have one document to use here! Just follow it! Geez

Executive Branch Checks Powers over the Legislative Branch Judicial Branch Vetoes laws Convenes (calls) Congress into special session Nominates Supreme Court Justices and federal judges Grants pardons and reprieves Legislative Branch Checks Powers over the President Judicial Branch Checks Powers over the President *Senate approves treaties and presidential appointments *The House of Representatives appropriates money *Congress can override vetoes *Congress can impeach and convict the President and Vice President *Grants pardons and reprieves *The Supreme Court can rule Executive Acts unconstitutional

Executive Departments

Executive Departments Congress has the power to establish, reorganize and to eliminate executive departments

Executive Departments Each department as a specific area of responsibility

Executive Departments Heads of the Executive Departments make up the President’s Cabinet

Cabinet Not mentioned in the Constitution, but every President has had a Cabinet Advise the President and help implement federal laws Title of most cabinet members is secretary Head of the Department of Justice is the Attorney General

Department of the Interior Department of Treasury Department of State Department of Defense Department of Justice Department of the Interior Department of Treasury Department of Health and Human Services Department of Transportation Department of Education Department of Labor Department of Veteran’s Affairs Department of Housing and Urban Development Department of Energy Department of Commerce Department of Agriculture Department of Homeland Security

Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions

Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions Created by Congress Help keep the government and the economy running smoothly

Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions Separate from the executive departments because they perform specialized duties Help to carry out federal laws

Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions Internal Revenue Service Federal Communications Commission Securities and Exchange Commission

Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions Establish guidelines that protect health and safety Oversee the way individuals and companies do business

The Federal Bureaucracy Formed by the departments and agencies in the executive branch 3 million people work in the bureaucracy Operates under heavy rules and regulations that create “red tape